Michael II

770 – 829 · Generation XIX · Emperor (r. 820–829) · Amorian

Michael (AD 770 – 829). Emperor (r. 820–829). Married Thekla. Married Euphrosyne around AD 823. Founder of Amorian dynasty; from Amorium. A soldier who climbed the ranks beside Leo V, he helped his colleague topple Michael I — only for the two to fall out, and for Leo to sentence him to death. From that peril he directed the plot that cut Leo down at Christmas 820, and took the throne at once. Nicknamed “the Stammerer,” he spent his first years fighting off the great revolt of Thomas the Slav, which nearly unseated him and was not stamped out until spring 824. Two lasting losses followed: Crete fell to Arab corsairs out of al-Andalus, and the long Muslim conquest of Sicily began. At home he upheld the official iconoclasm Leo V had revived, though he generally left icon-venerators in peace.

One of 3 people of Amorian (770–867) in this archive. A short house from Amorium, under which the icons were restored.

Partners

Married Thekla (775 – 823) — one child together
Married Euphrosyne (790 – 839) in 823

Children

Theophilos (813 – 842)

Life

770 — Born
823 — Married Euphrosyne
829 — Died